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Planning and Zoning Commission Agenda
City Council Chambers
City Hall, 55 W Tompkins St
5:30 p.m. on December 16, 2025
A G E N D A
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Update Past Planning and Zoning Commission items
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PZ-25-1201
Public Hearing
Variance of Table 152.155 (B) (3) for minimum parking
requirements, 247 S Seminary Street.
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MINUTES
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING
COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF GALESBURG CITY HALL
55 W TOMPKINS ST, GALESBURG, IL
Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Katina Cochrane, Mark Lee, Carla Markwart, Steve McKelvie, Jason
Paulsgrove, Mark Thomas, 6.
MEMBERS ABSENT: Ardennia Leahy, Neil Thomas, 2.
OTHERS PRESENT: Steve Gugliotta AICP-Director of Community Development.
Chairperson declared quorum present.
Approve Minutes of the June 17, 2025 meeting
Member Lee moved to approve the minutes, seconded by Member McKelvie.
Minutes were approved by voice vote.
Update Past Planning and Zoning Commission items
• Ordinance amendment for Solar Energy Systems, after an amendment to allow 200
sq ft ground mounted solar in residential at 12 feet in height, it was approved by the
City Council at their July 21, 2025 meeting.
• Ordinance amendment for Wind Energy Systems was approved by the City Council
at their July 21, 2025 meeting.
Receive Citizen Comment
None Received.
PZ-25-0701 Public Hearing Zoning Amendment Institutional to Central Business, 640 sq
ft of PIN 99-15-206-002
The Commission members considered the following items:
• Proposed use is consistent with the 2019 Comprehensive Plan, which shows this area
to be Downtown Mixed Use (which is B3)
• The proposed amendment will allow development that is compatible with existing
uses and zoning of nearby property
• The city and other service providers will be able to provide adequate public facilities
and services to the subject property, while maintaining adequate levels of service to
existing development
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• The Development Review Committee reviewed the proposed Ordinance at their July
2, 2025 meeting and recommended approval.
Member Lee moved, seconded by Member McKelvie to recommend approval.
Roll Call #1
Ayes: Cochrane, Lee, Markwart, McKelvie, Paulsgrove, M. Thomas, 6.
Nays: None.
Abstentions: None.
Chairperson declared the motion approved
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5:35 p.m.
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Steve Gugliotta, Director of Community Development
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Operating Under Council – Manager Government Since 1957
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Planning and Zoning Commission Letter
December 16, 2025
AGENDA ITEM: PZ-25-1201 Parking Variance for National Railroad Hall of Fame, located at 247
S Seminary St.
SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION: The Development Review Committee members reviewed the
variance request during their December 3, 2025 meeting and recommend approval.
BACKGROUND: The applicant is seeking a variance to reduce the required off street parking from
11 to 9 spaces for the proposed National Railroad Hall of Fame, due to the site constraints.
Table 152.155 (B) (3): Office, Manufacturing and Civic Parking and Loading Requirements calls for
1 parking space per 600 square feet of gross floor area for this project’s specific land use. With
the proposed building being 6,400 sq ft, the required number of parking spaces would be 11, but
only 9 are provided for on the submitted site plan. The applicant has mentioned there are city
owned free parking lots adjacent to and near their development, as well as on street parking.
Zoning Land Use
North I, Institutional Amtrak & Jefferson Lines passenger Station
West M-1, Light Industrial Penn’s Furniture
East I, Institutional RR tracks & Icehouse Park
South M-1, Light Industrial South St underpass
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
1. Standards for granting sign variances
2. Aerial – General location
3. Site plan for general layout
4. Application
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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Operating Under Council – Manager Government Since 1957
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(C) Standards for granting variances.
(1) The Planning and Zoning Commission shall not vary the provisions of this chapter as authorized
in this section unless it shall have made affirmative findings based upon the evidence presented
to it in each of the following specific cases:
(a) That the property in question cannot yield a reasonable return if permitted to be used only
under the conditions allowed by the regulations governing the district in which it is located.
Applicants must submit evidence identifying the price paid for the property. Paying more
for the property than it is worth, purchasing it at a price which anticipates and obtains
variances, or showing that the property would be worth more if a variance is granted is not
evidence of lack of a reasonable return;
(b) That the situation of the owner is due to unique physical circumstances of the property; and
(c) That the variance, if granted, will not alter the essential character of the neighborhood.
(2) For the purpose of supplementing the above standards, the Planning and Zoning Commission,
in making this determination whenever there are practical difficulties or particular hardships,
shall also take into consideration the extent to which the following facts, favorable to the
applicant, have been established by the evidence:
(a) That the particular physical surroundings, shape or topographical conditions of the specific
property involved would bring a particular hardship upon the owner as distinguished from
a mere inconvenience if the strict letter of the regulation were to be carried out;
(b) That the conditions upon which the petition for variance is based would not be applicable
generally to other property within the same zoning classification;
(c) That the purpose of the variance is not based exclusively upon a desire to make more money
out of the property;
(d) That the alleged difficulty or hardship has not been created by any person presently having
an interest in the property;
(e) That the granting of the variance will not be detrimental to the public welfare or injurious
to other property or improvements in the neighborhood in which the property is located;
and
(f) That the proposed variance will not impair an adequate supply of light and air to adjacent
property, substantially increase the danger of fire, otherwise endanger the public safety, or
substantially diminish or impair property values within the neighborhood.
(3) The Planning and Zoning Commission may require conditions and restrictions upon the premises
benefited by a variance as may be necessary to comply with the standards set forth in this
division (C) to reduce or minimize the injurious effect of the variance upon other property in
the neighborhood, and to implement the general purpose and intent of this chapter.
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